


Rock Climbing

by Jeiidaan



Category: Ao no Exorcist | Blue Exorcist
Genre: Character Study, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-11
Updated: 2020-07-11
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:02:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25208902
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jeiidaan/pseuds/Jeiidaan
Summary: Shima Juuzou goes rock climbing to relieve stress.That’s what he always told everyone.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 22





	Rock Climbing

Shima Juuzou goes rock climbing to relieve stress.

That’s what he always told everyone. It was a man’s sport requiring strength, pacing, intelligence, and diligence. Knowing which way to climb, being able to tell when a foothold was within reach, figuring out how fast you can go while also not going too slow and running out of stamina... It was fun, enjoyable. 

Most of the time he went to indoor gyms. The almost meditative repetitive movements of putting on the safety harness combined with the social aspect of greeting other regulars was a good start to the main event. 

Then he was up, his fingers gripping tightly to the fake rocks as he pulled and pushed himself up higher and higher. His breathing was somewhat labored every time he reached the top, slamming his palm on the button resting there. 

Juuzou always took a second at the top before he repelled his way down.

Sometimes he went to real cliffs outside. It was usually in a group, but once in a while he’d find a place to free climb on his own. It was dangerous, he knew, which is why he never really told Mamushi about it, or anyone else for that matter. 

But it was important to him.

He gripped tightly to the rocks jutting out from the sheer cliff and turned his eyes upward. 

He could almost see himself, holding the torn and burnt bundle of cloth that contained his little brother. He could remember the way he screamed as Takezou’s burning body slammed into the cliff on the way down like a straw doll that was unrecognizable as a person anymore.

Juuzou grabbed the next hold and pulled himself up further.

He remembered moments after, when others rushed to join him at the side, but by then Takezou’s body was already gone from view. He had been the only one to see his brother’s final moments.

Juuzou kicked his foot into a divot and pushed himself higher.

He remembered the tears flowing down his cheeks as he gripped tightly to the crying infant in his arms. People were pulling him away from the edge as adults screamed in panicked arguments about either going down to find him or prioritizing the rest of the group.

Juuzou grabbed the top of the cliff, his eyes blurry with tears as he pulled himself up.

Rock climbing was important to him. If he got better at this, then he wouldn’t die the way Takezou did. He wouldn’t leave his family in shambles like Takezou did. He would always climb his way back up and rejoin his siblings like Takezou didn’t.

Juuzou laid down on the rocky floor, the phantom pressure of a baby Renzou against his chest and he wanted to curl his arms around him and tell his brother that he’d protect him.

But the world was a cruel place full of people and demons and people worse than demons who sought to ruin Juuzou’s promises. Things were changing, Renzou was far away and different, he had a wife and a child on the way who deserved his attention and protection. He could do this. He could climb cliffs and assure himself of that one little thing. This was the only thing Takezou did that Juuzou would make sure to never follow. In this single detail, he would be better than Takezou.

Shima Juuzou goes rock climbing to relieve stress.

At least, that’s what he always told everyone.

**Author's Note:**

> Sort of spawned from a little fact that Juuzou goes rock climbing for fun. And I immediately thought of how Takezou died. Needless to say, it all just kinda wrote itself from there.


End file.
